System and method for generating tone in response to movement of portable terminal

Abstract

Operation terminal capable of being carried by a user or human operator is, for example, in the form of a bar or shoe, and detection is made of a movement trajectory of the operation terminal on the basis of movement of the operation terminal. Tone signal is generated with a desired tone factor, such as a tone color, tone volume, tone pitch or effect, set or controlled on the basis of the detected movement trajectory of the operation terminal. Also, detection is made of a mechanical amount of the operation terminal corresponding to a motion of the user carrying the operation terminal, such as an amount of displacement of a predetermined portion (e.g. a shoe's heel portion) of the operation terminal or pressure applied to the predetermined portion, so that a tone signal is generated with a desired tone factor set or controlled on the basis of the detected mechanical amount.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tone signal generation system comprising: 
 an operation terminal that is capable of being carried by a human operator and that generates and transmits motion information corresponding to a motion of the human operator carrying said operation terminal; and    a tone signal generation apparatus that receives the motion information from said operation terminal and detects a movement trajectory of said operation terminal corresponding to the motion of the human operator on the basis of the received motion information, said tone signal generation apparatus generating a tone signal on the basis of the detected movement trajectory of said operation terminal.    
     
     
         2 . A tone signal generation system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said tone signal generation apparatus includes a table storing at least one possible movement trajectory of said operation terminal and at least one tone signal in association with each other, and said tone signal generation apparatus generates a tone signal by referring to stored contents of said table.  
     
     
         3 . A tone signal generation system as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the stored contents of said table are rewritable.  
     
     
         4 . A tone signal generation system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said tone signal generation apparatus determines a first parameter for generating a tone signal in accordance with a shape of the movement trajectory of said operation terminal, a second parameter for generating a tone signal in accordance with a size of the movement trajectory, and a third parameter for generating a tone signal in accordance with a moving speed or acceleration of the movement trajectory.  
     
     
         5 . A tone signal generation system as claimed in  claim 4  wherein each of said first, second and third parameters is a parameter for setting or controlling any one of tone color, tone volume, tone pitch and effect.  
     
     
         6 . A tone signal generation system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said tone signal generation apparatus detects which one of a plurality of predetermined typical shapes a shape of the detected movement trajectory of said operation terminal corresponds to.  
     
     
         7 . A tone signal generation system as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the plurality of predetermined typical shapes include at least one of a circular shape, shape of a numeral “8”, obliquely-cut surface shape, elongated oval shape, rectangular shape and spiral shape.  
     
     
         8 . A tone signal generation system as claimed in claim  1  wherein said tone signal generation apparatus detects, as the movement trajectory of said operation terminal, at least one of a plurality of trajectory elements including an approximate shape, approximate size and approximate moving speed or acceleration of the movement trajectory.  
     
     
         9 . A tone signal generation apparatus comprising: 
 a receiver that receives motion information transmitted from an operation terminal capable of being carried by a human operator, the motion information corresponding to a motion of the human operator carrying the operation terminal;    a processing section that detects a movement trajectory corresponding to the motion of the human operator on the basis of the motion information received by said receiver; and    a tone signal generation section that generates a tone signal on the basis of the movement trajectory of the operation terminal detected by said processing section.    
     
     
         10 . A tone signal generation system comprising: 
 an operation terminal that is capable of being carried by a human operator and that detects a mechanical amount of said operation terminal corresponding to a motion of the human operator carrying said operation terminal, such as an amount of displacement of a predetermined portion of said operation terminal or pressure applied to the predetermined portion, and transmits information indicative of the detected mechanical amount; and    a tone signal generation apparatus that receives the information indicative of the detected mechanical amount from said operation terminal and generates a tone signal on the basis of the received information indicative of the detected mechanical amount.    
     
     
         11 . A tone signal generation system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said operation terminal is in the form of a shoe wearable by the human operator, and said predetermined portion is a bottom of the shoe.  
     
     
         12 . A tone signal generation system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said operation terminal is in the form of a stick, and said predetermined portion is a tip portion of the stick.  
     
     
         13 . A tone signal generation apparatus capable of being carried by a human operator, said tone signal generation apparatus comprising: 
 a sensor section that generates motion information corresponding to a motion of the human operator carrying said tone signal generation apparatus;    a processing section that detects a movement trajectory of said tone signal generation apparatus corresponding to the motion of the human operator on the basis of the motion information generated by said sensor section; and    a tone signal generation section that generates a tone signal on the basis of the movement trajectory detected by said processing section.    
     
     
         14 . A tone signal generation apparatus capable of being carried by a human operator, said tone signal generation apparatus comprising: 
 a detection section that detects a mechanical amount of said tone signal generation apparatus corresponding to a motion of the human operator carrying said tone signal generation apparatus, such as an amount of displacement of a predetermined portion of said tone signal generation apparatus or pressure applied to the predetermined portion; and    a tone signal generation section that generates a tone signal on the basis of information indicative of the mechanical amount detected by said detection section.    
     
     
         15 . A method of generating a tone signal corresponding to a motion of a human operator carrying an operation terminal, said method comprising: 
 a step of detecting a movement trajectory of said operation terminal corresponding to the motion of the human operator;    a step of generating a tone signal on the basis of the movement trajectory detected by said step of detecting.    
     
     
         16 . A method of generating a tone signal corresponding to a motion of a human operator carrying an operation terminal, said method comprising: 
 a detection step of detecting a mechanical amount of said operation terminal corresponding to the motion of the human operator carrying said operation terminal, such as an amount of displacement of a predetermined portion of said operation terminal or pressure applied to the predetermined portion; and    a tone signal generation step of generating a tone signal on the basis of the received information indicative of the mechanical amount detected by said detection step.    
     
     
         17 . A computer program comprising computer program code means for performing all the steps of  claim 15  when said program is run on a computer.  
     
     
         18 . A computer program comprising computer program code means for performing all the steps of  claim 16  when said program is run on a computer.  
     
     
         19 . A machine-readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to perform a method of generating a tone signal corresponding to a motion of a human operator carrying an operation terminal, said method comprising: 
 a step of detecting a movement trajectory of said operation terminal corresponding to the motion of the human operator:    a step of generating a tone signal on the basis of the movement trajectory detected by said step of detecting.    
     
     
         20 . A machine-readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to perform a method of generating a tone signal corresponding to a motion of a human operator carrying an operation terminal, said method comprising: 
 a detection step of detecting a mechanical amount of said operation terminal corresponding to the motion of the human operator carrying said operation terminal, such as an amount of displacement of a predetermined portion of said operation terminal or pressure applied to the predetermined portion; and    a tone signal generation step of generating a tone signal on the basis of the received information indicative of the mechanical amount detected by said detection step.